Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-29

the park is the Albert memorial, ven
handsome gilded statue beneath richly
decorated canopy whose spire reaches to .
height of 175 feet. It cos
six hundred thousand dollars and Is replet.
with carvings around the base representing
life sized eftigies of nearly y of the grea
men of the world distinguished In art
poetry, music and letters. At the foul
corners of the base-removed several fee,
from the statue-are rich sculptures repre-
senting Europe, Asia, Africa and Amer
lea.
Kensington gardens contain two hundred
and ten acres and is separated from hyde
park by lake called the Surpentine-the
great skating pond of London when frozen
over. On the west side of this park is
Kensington palace, where Queen Victoria
was born, and south of 1t the South Ken
sington museum described in a former
letter
Kew gardens, which we visited by a
Thames steamer, is something like seven
miles from the American exchange. 1t is
most delightful spot, and the steamboat
ride up the Thames past Westminster Alb
hey, parliament house, and other places of
interest was highly enjoyed. Here we In
spected the old palace, once the residence
of George III, the Botanical gardens which
contain palm house 800 feet
long and ninety feet wide, q tall
Pagoda, and the museum which
is contained in two separate buildings the
first with specimens of timber, and the
second, three stories in height. with all
manner OF seeds and matured vegetable
growth, or If perishable and of an edible
nature, in colored wax. Fruits Of every
cline are 80 represented, and speaking Of
vegetables, even the ambitious little yellow
pumpkin that hourishes in Posey county,
Indiana, and which was said to have
climed the telegraph poles to get peep at
Horace Greeley in passing, has respected
niche. There is a glass domed building
here devoted to Aquatic plants in which
grow some monster lilies of which our
pond lilies are miniature. The largest
leaf l saw would measure fully four feet
In diameter. Greenwich park is down the
river Thames-about the same distance, I
should judge, from the Exchange. The
boat leaves the foot of London bridge and
passes close by the Tower of London and
the East India wharf The bulk of the
water craft, which plies in such vast num-
bers on this noted river, seldom 60
above London bridge. The park
stands back from the river
perhaps half mile is beautifully divers
ified with steep hills, fine old trees and
mundane avenues Here Is the Greenwich
observatory, established in the time of
Charles III, and is now the meridian from
which geographers reckon longitude. Hard
by, and lying between the river and park
is the Greenwich hospital. The palace of
Placentia in which Henry VII and his
daughters Queen Mary and Queen Eliza
beth were born, though principally demol-
ished by Charles II, it forms part of these
hospital buildings, this monarch erected
new buildings, and under the reign of
William and Mary it was converted into
seaman's hospital and today is an object of
great curiosity. Ofcourse it has museum
xxrsr I
eight long rooms containing models of
ships of all kinds, including models of the
various inventions of the present age In
another building was an art gallery contain
ing portraits of all the great naval officers
who have figured from time to time in
English history. Likewise paintings of
naval engagements and relics of Admiral
Nelson and the Franklin expedition. But
the grandest thing of all to be seen here
are the painted ceilings and walls of
this splendid gallery. The hall is
100 feet long, Sc feet wide and 30 feet high
The ceilings are decorated as we'll as por-
tons of the walls, with paintings executed
by Sir Sames Thornhill 1t is said he was
nineteen years in doing the great work of
art, and after its completion he never stood
upright and died three years afterwards.
1t commentaries the reign Of. William
and Mary and has many allegoried repre-
Sentations The colors are rich and warm
and every figure distinct and perfect. If
one could lie on their back for two hours
and study out the whole design there would
be some satisfaction in viewing 1t. There
is little anteroom at the end of the hall
which visitors are liable to overlook. L
Numbered into it by accident myself and
thanked my lucky star for it. 1t con-
tanned about twenty exquisite paintings,
one by Benjamin West, and by the way
the only production of Americas great art
ist have been able to see, portraying the
death bed scene of Admiral Nelson. l
have seen the same scene by other artists
on somewhat larger canvas. In the YES
thule of the hall is fine old painting Of
Columbus. The paintings in this gallery
are all donations, large proportion
being presented by King George ".
ST. James park lies near the heart of the
city. 1t contains about ninety acres and
Is appropriately laid cut with flower walks,
drives and ornamental water; close by is
the house of Parliament and overlooking
It and many of the Government buildings.